The Unraveling
by Shadow Pegasus
Summary: Kathynia Surana is a mere circle mage, yet it's her who unravel the very fabric of destiny itself. Every step she took shook Thedas to the very core, even the Old God was laid defeated and its Architect put to the arcane sword. Yet her story did not stop there. This is an AU story where Kathynia's ambitions altered the very nature of Thedas.
1. Chapter 1

Hii, this is my first Dragon Age fanfic, and English is not my native tongue, so I apologize in advance for unnatural vocabulary usage. Some details of the Dragon Age story might be inaccurate as I didn't properly check everything. But rest assured, I'll continue this story since it's my way of improving my vocabulary usage.

Disclaimer: Aside from original creation of Bioware, I owned everything else.

400 years since Garahel struck the killing blow that put the end to the Fourth Blight. People of Thedas immerged themselves in relative peace; they seemed to have slowly forgotten Fourth Blight's dreadful story. Nobles returned to their bickering while common folks continued with their meager life. Legendary tales of Gray Wardens' heroic deeds continually faded back into forgettable books within libraries.

Like always heroes have been forgotten in the stream of time, but threat has yet to be vanquished. Every year passed and Wardens stood vigilant against invisible hoards of darkspawn. Only the dwarves who suffered most since the First Blight appreciated this thankless sacrifices.

So it was unsurprising when the Fifth Blight returned in Year 9.30 Dragon Age that Thedas was wholly ill-ed prepared against the dark hoard. Old God Urthemiel unleashed waves of destruction against Thedas. Ferelden, the newly emerged kingdom known to the Orlesian as the land of doglords, was caught in its first strike. The blow destroyed most of Ferelden's assembled army and swept through the land seemingly unchecked. It would have been the end of the kingdom, and the Blight would have spread its taint far beyond a mere region had it been anywhere else.

Then she appeared.

A mere still-wet-in-the-ears mage who just undertook her hollowing. She should have been swallowed whole along with most of her companions by the Blight. Alas, fate seemed to have other plans, and Surana herself was anything but yielding.

Kathynia Surana was the last person who would yield to her doomed fate, and she was the first person to leap ahead of everyone simply to survive. She is an Elven girl with an ambition; one she's unwilling to let it die.

Thus, woven fabric of destiny bent to her will…

Urthemiel, the dreadful Old God of Beauty struggled and was killed atop Fort Drakon. Its army dispersed and scattered everywhere. Miraculously, she who struck the killing blow survived, along with most of her companions, even the well-intended but traitorous Loghain Mac Tir.

Newly crowned King Alistair and Queen Anora declared Ferelden Circle's independent to the Chantry in the following celebration. The events sent shock waves across Thedas.

Not only was Kathynia Surana the first ever Warden to survive the killing blow, but over the year she had been renowned as one of the brightest and most powerful battle mages in Thedas. Stories have been repeatedly told by the eyewitnesses and twisted into something more ridiculous about how powerful and invincible she was in the battle against the Old God.

Coupled with even more daring declaration of Ferelden Circle's independent, Divine Beatrice III was incensed beyond belief as mages' reputation gain foothold in the Southern land. Allowing the Chantry access into Andrastate's final resting place atop temples on the Frostback Mountain was one of Ferelden's saving graces against the Exalted March. Others was how general population and the Gray Warden themselves praised Fereldens for halting and eliminating the Blight before it even properly gained momentum.

But anyone probing for weaknesses in the land of doglords might be in for a nasty surprise as the Architect had found out himself. Armies of darkspawns unleashed upon unsuspecting city of Amaranthine and undermanned Vigil Keep; only to be both defeated and repelled while the Warden herself brought her companions to cut heads off.

On that day, a few unbelievable piece of histories were written.

But Kathynia Surana did not stop there. She advocated Elven rights in the stabilizing land, and the wandering tribes no longer need to move around while Alienage gained proper voice in the Ferelden's court.

All these were possible only because the nobles and traditionalists in the Chantry equally feared and respected her.

She who had survived more Crow's assassination attempts than anyone in Thedas history. She who crushed Tevinter's blood mages, and she who stood toe-on-toe against the feared Old God yet lived. Even the demons of the Fade took notice of her power as the woman herself defeated Pride Demon at its height of power at the haunted Knotwood Hills village.

In year 9.31 of Dragon Age, Kathynia Surana became the living legend as well as symbol of Power. But her true journeys had yet to begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II

Mark of the Beginning 

It was the same confusing dream she had every few nights since her childhood at the Kinloch Hold Circle. The area before her was a beautiful scenery of overreaching arch seemingly climbing to the blurry star.

The gilded armored radiating calming yet beautiful aura exchanged inaudible words with an her comrade Kathynia found herself thudding closer to hear their voice, only to be rudely awakened to the morning light and loud cocks' screech; or in case of her time in the circle, her bunkmates' loud snore and activities.

Today was the same, Kathynia woke up to the thudding movement beyond of her room. It was her maids' routine roller carts carrying assortments of supplies to various parts of Vigil Keep, one being candle placements along the hallway in her part of the keep. Kathynia sighed.

She thrown her blanket from her body, revealing modest but healthy body expected of a practitioner of Arcane Warrior. The art had been forgotten for a long long time, only to be rediscovered beneath Frostback Mountain by her fallen foe.

That bastard was nigh difficult to kill. You don't just kill a person who could partially put his/her body into the Fade on the whim, and more often than not, your guaranteed hit would simply go through your foe's body exposing yourself to the retaliation strike. Luckily, between time on Ferelden wild and being hunted by Loghain and Howe's mad dogs as well as other threats honed her instinct well beyond any seasoned warrior. A few lures here and there as well as some well-timing strikes from her friends down the bastard, but his strike still left a mark on her body till this day. Though it was more of a reminder for her inexperience than anything else since Wynne's magic healed the wound almost instantly.

Gusting wind from windows in her room brought Kathynia out of her muse, her revealing gown didn't really protect her against the wind, but it was appropriate and comfortable piece of gown for staying in a secured place like her own room.

After all, any unauthorized bastard had to get past all her glyphs and barriers on the door, windows, and around her bed just to get to her. Any normal mage would be incapable of maintaining all these while sleeping, but she smartly utilized her large mana pool to write protective runes to do the job.

"Milady, it's time for breakfast" called a maid from the hallway after three knocking. They knew better than just to barging in after the last unsuspecting assassin got fried doing so.

"Coming, thanks" She replied, hearing pleasantly exchanges between her guards and the maid.

Kathynia took a quick bath and changed into her set of cloths and light armors, strapping Arcane blade to her hip while carrying a staff in her right hand. Then she walked passed extinguishing candles to the hall where her maidservants were serving loaded breakfast to her Wardens; among them Velanna and Ander were gone, one in search of her little sister, the other? Perhaps forever in search of freedom.

They didn't just abandon their duties as most people would believe, but they left with her blessings a couple of months ago. After all, you didn't cage an unwilling tiger. Beside, most people nowadays find honour and rewarding compensations by working as Wardens, and she treated them well. Oghren would never leave the Keep so long as he has his booze, Nathaniel Howe seemed hell bent on regaining his family's honour, even Sigrun visiting Kal'Hirol sometime bringing in supplies and labour to construct permanent outpost over the fortress. Things were coming along very well. In a few more months, the outpost will be done, and her real plan could finally be set into motion.

"Hey, Kat" greeted Oghren "You just wake up? Come there're plenty of space for ya" patting an emptied seat beside. She walked up to the Dwarf and sat down, uttered a thanks and receive a bowl of delicious looking meat from Howe. Sigrun wasn't presented as she brought some green recruits to Kal'Hirol.

"So the dream again?" asked Oghren, sodding Dwarf probably notice something. He's more observant than many gave him credit.

"Yea" Kathynia sighed "could never made a sense of it, I even wrote a letter to Dagna, the wanna-be-Dwarven mage, if you remembered her" seeing him nod while Nathaniel gave her a blank confusing look, she gave a quick explanation "well, she just replied a couple of days ago with some wild theoretical ideas but essentially useless one" spoke while biting the meat "I'm starting to think its unique to me, though it's really effective in blocking out Fade dream."

"That's a plus in my book" Nathaniel gave his opinion "Anything blocking out a demon is always good"

"Ha, it's not like Kat would have any problem dealing with Demon" Oghren asserted "Look at what happened to that Pride one in Blackmarsh. She froze it good." Poor thing, though Baroness was anything but weak, she stood no chance against someone who stood up to a much more terrifying foe.

Breakfast passed quickly, and each of them went their ways to do their jobs; Nathaniel went on administrative role of overseeing repairing various parts of the keep while Oghren went to the new Warden recruits and simple soldiers alike to beat, oh wait, to train them. Varel was handling other menial tasks, and she has her boring papers from Mistress Woolsey regarding financial cost of running Vigil and Amaranthine projects and operations.

It was nothing rush though; as everything has been authorized long ago, and reports from both official and unofficial sources stemming in. They stacked on one corner of her table in the writing room while books on various academic and technical researches, even some novels of the previous Arl's preference, were shelved around the room. Every now and then, her maidservants would come in to clean them, and they knew better than to touch her books, glyphs and runes, ingrained fear into their mind, alongside her infamous wrath.

But her real sensitive information is not stored here. They were either in untouched warded trunk beneath her bed or sent to Soldier's Peak in Avernus's capable hands.

Knocking sounds brought her attention away from her boring report "Come in" she said, the door opened and a royal messenger carrying Alistair's missive rushing in. He quickly bowed to her and handed her the missive. Her eyebrow arched "What's so important that it can't be trusted to messenger bird?"

He shook his head "I do not know milady, only that the King said it's of utmost important"

She received it and gave him a thanks as well as small compensation for his trouble. Then, she tore the letter opened. The content inside was anything but comforting.

Dear Kathynia,

I hoped this letter reached your hand quickly. There are sensitive matters brewing on the horizon as well as at home.

Whispers from Val Royeaux spoke of the Exalted March and Orlaisian Invasion. Already, they sent in waves of merchants and aids to spy on us. We had little choice but to welcome them regardless, given the status of our economy. Grand Cleric Diorine is likewise pressuring us into lifting the Decree on Kinloch Hold's independence, provided that it was never proper enforced as Templar still maintained order there, but things were going the way we want them.

I need mage's unconditional support in military and other menial tasks around the kingdom to lift our shoddy production, and I need them now. Diorine's meddling is bad news and is often coupled with Orlaisian's intrigues. I'm very much tempted to hire Zevran to solve this little mess, alas, it wouldn't really change anything short of assassinating everyone involved; or so Anora said anyway.

Kathynia, I know Armaranthine is still a mess, but I need you to put fear of God into these Orlaisian and Chantry's envoys, or better yet, made them caved in to our demand for proper financial aids while general popularity is still on our side. I can mention your name only for so long. Out of all of us, excluding Oghren whom I can't really use as Diplomat, you're the most feared and respected Warden in our realm.

So, I decreed you are to come to Denerim ASAP.

Miss You,

Alistair Theirin,

King-of-Your-Choice

P.S. I still haven't forgiven you for going against YOUR KING to spare Loghain, but he has already proven to be more useful to us alive than dead.

Kathynia sighed, folding the letter in her hand while looking out to the horizon through window. Flame burst in her palm, licking and burning the letter into ash.

Despite the letter, Kathynia didn't leave immediately. Amaranthine arling is located in crucial position. If there's to be an invasion of any kind, the army has to either land the army at Amaranthine port or risk becoming fish food at other coastal ridges. There were some beaches along the coastal line certainly, but a few outposts would notify her of their coming, and Vigil Keep as well as Amaranthine are still strategic positions. Gaining control of these locations would enable Chevaliers and Crusaders to pass through highway to Denerim quickly, and the throne city still bore scars from the Fifth Blight. It's not the best place to enact your final defensive line.

"Nate, please bring a few of our more promising mage recruits along with a contingent of guardsmen to station at our coastal outposts." She ordered "I needed them capable of annihilating small landing boats as well as notify us in case of any landing."

"You expected an invasion? Or just pirate?" He gave her a confused look. The outposts are there sure, but some are still unfinished, and they wouldn't really hold to any siege. Beside, they're not at war with anyone right now, except maybe some bandits and pirates.

"Things aren't looking good across the sea." She replied "We may have to entertain some unwanted guests should the worst happen, but for now, we still have time to prepare." Kathynia pointed to a few locations on the map in her writing room "I wanted them to station here and here, and here as well as putting some more men on the main outpost on the highway to reinforce them if necessary, but they're expected to retreat to Vigil Keep at the first sign of grand invasion."

"You wanted them to stall for time and guard our commercial route" He noted and received an affirmative reply. "Alright, I'll handle it. I will coordinate with Varel on other menegerial stuff while you're away."

"Good, and please tell Sigrun she's my full support on setting up our training ground there, that, and please send her this letter to give to King Bhelen." The mage handed Nate her signed and stamped document "It'll certainly entice him into signing a contract with our Amaranthine arling to reclaim Kal'Hirol thaig."

Scowling Nathaniel asked "We're handing them the fortress? It seems…unwise."

Kathynia smiled she leaned onto tabletop for support. "The Dwarf has always been underground for centuries despite unclaimed lands on the surface. For some reasons, they feared falling into the sky. Beside, they still have to contain with darkspawns on daily basis. Once the outpost is set up, readying for mining. Our commercial activities can begin earnestly, then we will hear social uproars caused by such notion years before it ever happened. No self-respecting Dwarf would want to live on the surface, much less conquering them."

"I guess I can see that" Nate nodding in understanding. She patted his shoulder

"Excellent"

It was two days afterward that she left Vigil Keep with her contingents of guards, but not to head directly to Denerim. Rather, she took longer route, visiting Amaranthine city port for a few days to get some supplies; particularly metal bars, stones, and other food supplies meant for Solider's Peak, then loading them all onto her growing caravan. She also met some influential bans and merchants who happened to be in the city. They all greeted all cordially as she's their famous overlord who just saved the city couple of months ago. Even the local chantry and its mother now viewed her positively since she not only saved their hides but also their flocks of followers from wanton slaughtered by darkspawns.

Though there were still a few Templars glancing at her suspiciously. It was nothing of concerns.

The group she gathered discussed politics, trade, and facilities construction or improvement. They want to rebuild the city to its former prosperity prior to darkspawns' plague ever occurred and wanted adequate number of patrols to guards the commercial roads into city and the wall. She obliged them with a few conditions aimed to gain more tilth

then issuing a few letters to order Master Wade for more quality weapons and armor as well as other tools.

Then she went through Wending Wood to take a look at mining operations there and leave straight for fabled yet forgotten Solider's Peak. The Sofia Dryden's former fortress, now claimed by her companion who dabbled deep into Blood Magic and other forbidden arts.

Every time she emerged out of the tunnel, she would be greeted by this breathtaking sight of formidable fortress. Its rampart towering over her and companions several time over. At its height of power, the place was Grey Warden's headquarter in the Southern land, where even the most formidable forces would be hard-pressed to breach its wall.

Going through keep gate, she could see some changes since the last time she was here about a year ago. Levy Dryden and his men made good of his promise. The place is no longer abandoned; there are signs of activities and reparation. Particularly in areas of immediate needs for living. She even saw small gardening area growing edible plants and quite a few chicken running around.

Indistinguishable pig's squeal was heard from a corner near backyard as well as sounds of human talking. Walking up to them, they glanced at the group warily till noticing Grey Warden insignia.

"O, dat's the Warden aright, ya here for the mage? Ee 's in the tower."

"Yea, creepy as hell, but havn't done anything bad for us so far." Another added

"You two are new here?" Kathynia questioningly arched her eyebrows.

"Well, Levy hired us quite some months ago, wuldn't say new, but yea we're here after you cleansed the place of monster, though we still found some corpses here and dhere. Just a forth nights ago, we had ta root out dat spider's nest! As big as the wheeling cart I tell ya" The guy shuddered at the thought. His companion quipped in.

"Luckily, we had him to help us. The guy made giant spider into a mush, even took the damned things back to his tower. As I said creepy as hell" Avernus tended to have that effect on people since she thought he's quite creepy as well. What's with living here for the past three centuries together with all those corpses and demons.

But it's clear she will never get to anywhere with these two grunts regardless of how honestly fool they maybe, thus she got to the point. "Any idea where I can find Dryden?" she asked.

"O he's in da keep, ya can find him easy enough, just look for da light."

She thanks them then entering the tower, leaving her contingents of guardsmen to carry supplies meant for Dryden inside. Some of them were put into stacks near what she observed as material storage areas on the first floor. The others followed her upstairs into what might be a kitchen. The guy's description was apt if a bit uncreative. After all, in this cold dry fortress only places with light are where people live.

Kathynia found Dryden on the second floor common area upon the ladder to the roof with all equipment required to fix the glaring roof holes. He yelped at her voice.

"Oh, it's you Commander Kathynia." He spoke up "You gave me quite a surprise. I didn't expect to see you here today. Thought you were another of the old man's experimentation. He seemed to made it his mission to try to surprise me to death!" Said while climbing down to the floor ground.

"Ha, I'm sure it wasn't that bad." Privately, she thought his words might actually hold some truths. The guy was probably doing some weird necromancy spell and would like to see people' reactions to it. Thinking it over, she might have to rein in the blood mage least everyone else flee the fortress sooner or later. "I brought you some supplies. How're things here by the way."

Cleaning his hands with a piece of cloth, he waved it around "I severely am undermanned. Whatever people I could find keep changing jobs. No one wanna live here with the creepy mage. Not that I blamed them, who would? Couple of guys down there are here to stay only because they're idiots who aren't afraid of anything. There are others too, but they came here only when they couldn't find a job to do, and we're not paying them enough to make it worth risking creepiness. Or so they said. So most of the money you sent me a while ago to repair this place went into buying supplies stacking downstairs, and some for things to ward against monsters in case I can't run quickly enough to his tower."

"Oh and why wouldn't you just live there?" She asked trying her mightiest to swallow her laugh, but corner of her mouth could be seen moving upward.

"You insane? I would never live in that tower with the man. For all this calming aura, he's still creepy! The guy literally had skeletons lying around, might even be found in his closet! I would rather leave this place than living in that tower with him. The honour is all yours" He said with exaggerating gestures.

She blew out a laugh "alright alright, I get it, just kidding" He huffed "Afraid I'm here for more than exchanging pleasantry though." She got serious. "There're trouble brewing all over the places, and the Crown has reasons to suspect an invasion from across the Waking Sea, so in the coming months, I'll be moving in labour forces to help you repair this fortress to its former's glory." His mouth hanged opened "We need it at its peak to scout out any navy fleet from Orlais and station some men here for defense, so I'll probably be moving in some Wardens and soldiers I can spare with the Crown's permission, and I'll expect you to be its administrator of all those labour forces."

"Wha, for real ?! This place is gonna be Warden's base again?"

"Perhaps, depending on the status of this place by then, but the idea is that I'll not leave this place abandoned any longer. Since this place is within my arling, it could even legally belong to me or the Warden? Who know? But I'm certain I can convince Alistair and Anora to see it from my perspectives."

After that, they talked some more on detail needs for further staffing and reparation. She bid him good time before crossing the long walkway over fjord to the tower, even stopping to mesmerize this truly breathtaking sight for a few minutes. It wasn't every day you got to see it.

Climbing up the stairway to the top floor, she saw him standing in the same place she saw him all those months ago

"Avernus" she greeted cordially. The guy turned around from his thick tome. There's some candles lit in this room as well as some arcane fire lit over the pits with skeletons and bodies lying in there, giving the tower rather creepy atmosphere.

And she could even see dust scattered all over the place just from placing the tome down.

"Ah Kathynia, I didn't expect to see you here again so soon."

"It's been almost a year Avernus." She replied.

"Has it? I seem to have forgotten time flow sometimes, still engrossing in my experimentation on taint blood. I think it's coming along quite nicely with the addition of newly collected Archdemon and darkspawns' blood you sent here." He said joyfully. "The merchant down there ain't so bad either, even his men didn't fear me so much." She wanna say it's because they're so stupid and that you're still creepy, but she kept her mouth shut. "But I reckon you're not here for social visit, otherwise, you would be coming with that loudmouth Dwarf and others"

It seemed Oghren made an impression on this guy last time he was here carrying those Archdemon and darkspawns' blood over inconspicuously. Not a lot of people recognize him as they did her. Even less wanna approached the guy carrying giant Warhammer who is always drunk.

"You're right." She admitted "I need to see what you've found and if it can be of any use soon. The Chantry has been incensed by our declaration of mage's independent, and Orlais is looking for excuse to send in chevaliers, and I would expect the First Warden to send someone here once he knew of its existence if only to examine the place for headquarter, and they're not gonna be please with you or your experiments as I do."

"That's oddly sentimental in my opinion." He observed.

"Hardly, I merely wanna be as ready as I can while receiving them. If I appear all invincible and accomplished as most people seem to believe regarding both the warden and arcane issues. They'll be less willing to mess with Ferelden and my goal."

"Your secret is safe with me, though I must ask, what do you have against the Chantry that you hated them so much?"

She sighed "It's not anyone in the chantry in particular, or even how the chantry behaved in Fereldan and elsewhere. It's something personal, and I will see the chantry itself pay for it! Besides, I have Fereldan's king and queen's eyes and ears. This land offers me the best hope for my people."


End file.
